Gun mount with shield means



Jun 1964 P. H. GIROUARD ETAL 3,136,214

GUN MOUNT WITH SHIELD MEANS Original Filed Aug. 27, 1952 6 Sheets-Sheet 2 mm 1W INVENTO Gmo u R0 THOMAS c. COM/6K4 rrys R010 JOHN L PH//./ a can. an

June 1964 P. H. GIROUARD ETAL 3,136,214

GUN MOUNT WITH SHIELD MEANS Original Filed Aug. 27, 1952 6 Sheets-Sheet 3 IPJA PA or rim NSFA'I? rmq r IZL' 0F EMF TY TR! Y IN VEN TORS FH/Lms H. thou/1RD (4R2 lflllclr mvflzcfinszn GIROLD 4- Kfl/VE JOHN I. #6180 MILTON C- MEI/MIMI lMRRIsay RAA/DOLPI/ June 9, 1964 P. H. GIROUARD ETAL 3,136,214

GUN MOUNT WITH SHIELD MEANS Original Filed Aug. 27, 1952 6 Sheets-Sheet 4 H B Q [I WI m l 14 I ll = 0 #41 i m :45 o 30 o 346 6 326 0 30/ "W 4 30 334 I E MW I900 IN V EN TORS Paul/Is 1441170401170 CARI. KH/CKMRNfltt'Efi-SA' 1900 6/1/1012! 0. Iowa JOHN I. All-1.50M Marv/v c. MEI/MAN E HARE/$04 ram/004M 5 790014! 6'. COIL/ER flrraR/vtvs June 1954 P. H. GIROUARD ETAL 3,136,214

GUN MOUNT WITH SHIELD MEANS 6 Sheets-Sheet 5 Original Filed Aug. 27. 1952 INVENTORS P/f/L/HS h. GIROU/MD JTTORI E 75 June 9, 1964 P. H. GIROUARD ETAL 5,

GUN MOUNT WITH SHIELD MEANS Original Filed Aug. 27, 1952 6 Sheets-Sheet 6 I46Zb i T l I786 IN VEN TORS THOMJS C. COIL/ER Q) 0770,714/5 Y5 United States Patent 3,136,214 GUN MOUNT WITH SHIELD MEANS Philias H. Girouard, Washington, D.C., Carl V. Hickman, deceased, late of Kensington, Md., by Jean W. Hickman, administratrix, Washington, D.C., Garold A. Kane, John I. Nelson, Milton C. Newman, and Harrison Randolph, Minneapolis, Minn., and Thomas C. Collier, Portsmouth, N.H., assignors, by mesne assignments, to the United States of America as represented by the Secretary of the Navy Original application Aug. 27, 1952, Ser. No. 306,612. Divided and this application July 25, 1958, Ser. No.

3 Claims. on. 89-36) The present invention relates to major caliber guns with calibers of the order of magnitude of five inches or greater preferably employing separate or semi-fixed ammunition and intended to be effective for both anti-aircraft and surface fire and particularly to the mount structure for such guns and the ammunition handling features thereof.

' This application is a division of copending application Serial No. 306,612, filed August 27, 1952, by the present applicants.

In guns of this caliber it is highly desirable that a substantially normal or conventional position of the gun trunnions be maintained in order to keep the weight of the gun at a minimum in elfecting a proper gun balance. In the present invention the gun can be loaded in any position of elevation and of course in any position of turning or training. This makes the invention of high utility in anti-aircraft use.

The instrumentalities for so loading the gun are practically all automatic in their operation and when so operated, are for the most part hydraulically actuated, suitable interlocks being provided to insure the proper sequence of operation and to prevent improper firing of the gun. While the gun of the present invention is to be understood as having a conventional turret mounting, in that it is intended primarily for naval use, this is not necessarily essential. Other well known types of gun mountings may be employed within the purview of the present invention to make the gun available for general military use, whether naval or otherwise. While in the embodiment of the invention illustrated only one gun is shown, it is obvious that the inventive concepts and much of the structure described would be equally applicable to a mount carrying more than one gun.

The mount in general has means for supplying ammunition to the gun including a lower hoist installed on the fixed structure of the ship or other foundation. Said hoist comprises one or more hoist tubes. In the embodiment of the invention illustrated, said hoist comprises a pair of spaced tubes. The units or rounds of ammunition are automatically fed to said tubes respectively by loaders. There is a loader for each tube and the units or rounds of ammunition are manually fed to said loaders. (It may be noted that this is the only manual operation involved in the operation of the mount while in automatic operation, and further that the manual feed can be continued in order to replenish the ammunition in the various mount parts receiving the same at all times during automatic operation.)

The said loaders are identical and while their structure may be varied to suit the particular ammunition used, in

"ice

the embodiment of the invention illustrated each loader comprises a casing in which are disposed two superposed rotatable drums arranged in axial alignment. Each drum has a series of circumferentially spaced chambers. These chambers in the upper drum receive the projectiles and said chambers in the lower drum receive the powder cases. The casing has an opening for each drum provided with one or more swinging doors and the powder cases and projectiles are pushed against and past said doors through said openings into said chambers in the respective drums. Said drums are automatically rotated or indexed and means are provided for preventing indexing while ammunition is being fed into said drums and for locking said doors to prevent feeding of ammunition while said drums are being indexed. This protects the operators. The drums move the projectiles and powder cases into alignment with and into said hoist tubes or passages. The lower hoist has chains moving through said tubes to elevate the ammunition in said tubes to a rotatable carrier. A support is provided for the projectile when moved into said tube and this support is moved from beneath the.

projectile allowing the latter to rest on top of the powder case and the round is thus moved up in tandem with the projectile riding directly on the powder case plug. The chains in the lower hoist tubes are equipped with retaining members which prevent shucking of the ammunition units during deceleration of the hoist.

The carrier to which the round of ammunition is delivered by said lower hoist is rotatably mounted on a central column which depends from the gun supporting portion or mount proper. The said carrier has circumferentially spaced chambers which receive the ammunition from the tubes of said lower hoist. In the embodiment of the invention illustrated, said chambers in the carrier are spaced degrees apart. The carrier is automatically rotated to bring the chambers thereof into alignment with one or more tubes or passages of an upper hoist, which upper hoist is carried by and rotates with the gun or the mount proper. In the embodiment of the invention illustrated, the upper hoist has two tubes spaced 180 degrees apart. The carrier has a control mechanism which receives information as to the position of the mount proper, and the velocity and direction of rotation of the mount proper. This information is added mechanically and the carrier drive and control mechanism therefor is triggered to cause rotation of the carrier in a direction which will bring its said chambers into alignment with the said tubes of the upper or lower hoist in the shortest period of time. The carrier is provided with latches which are operated to latch it to the upper end lower hoists respectively. Either chamber of said carrier can deliver to either tube of the upper hoist.

The ammunition is automatically transferred laterally from the chambers in the carrier to the tubes of the upper hoist while the carrier is latched to the upper hoist. Upon completion of the transfer the carrier automatically returns to the lower hoist and islatched thereto in position to receive further ammunition from the lower hoist.

The upper hoist, which is illustrated as a shuttle hoist, elevates the units or rounds of ammunition to a cradle. In the embodiment of the invention illustrated, two cradles are provided, one at each side of the gun. Said cradles are respectively carried on arms which respectively swing about the axis of the gun trunnions. The cradle comprises a casing having a chamber therein which receives the upper hoist. The cradle is then automatically swung upward to bring. the casing and'chamb'er thereof into position at the rear of the gun and substantially parallel to the gun axis and alongside a transfer tray. The round of ammunition is then automatically transferred laterally or sidewise from the cradle to said transfer tray.

d In the embodiment of the invention illustrated two transfer trays are provided,'one at each side'ofthe gun adjacent the rear thereof. The round is clamped in position in the transfer tray and while the transfer tray is in its receivingposition, themechanical time fuse is set. The fuse pot of the fuse setter mechanism is automatically moved to engage and set the said' time fuse andthe fuse pot is then retracted. V V f Each tray is moved froma receiving position in which it is substantiallyparallel to the gun axis and at one side and adjacent the rear of the gun, in which'position it receives the round from the cradle, to a discharging or ramming position in axial alignment withthe. gun. bore. YThe w round is'lthen rammed from the tray into the breech by V the rammer. The transfer trays are alternately moved to a ramming position so that one tray is being loaded while the other is having the round rammed therefrom. As

soon as the rammer cross-head has cleared'the forward end of the transfer tray the transfer tray starts back to receiving position. 7 v

The breech block is raised to closing position immediately after the rammer is retracted.

7 vent any interference of the'transfer trays and the emptycase tray.

' A discharge chute for the empty cases is provided into which the empty cases are discharged by the empty .case

The empty case traygmoves to its receiving'posi- FIG. 4-is a bottom plan view of a portion of the gun shield is indicated byline 4 4 of FIG. 3 looking in the direction ofthe arrows; V FIG. 5 is a verticalsectiontaken on line 55 of FIG- 4, as indicated by the arrows;

FIG. 6 is a view in front elevation of a portion ofthe" gun shieldLas indicated by line 6-6 of FIG. '3 looking in the direction of the arrows. A a Before proceeding with the detailed descriptionof the various parts of the mount, a general description of the mount in connection with the showing in FIGS. 1, 1a, 1b ..and"2 will begiven.v

devices'comprises, the lower casing 20 and an upper casing 24. A powder'case drum28 is rotatable in each casing 20 and a projectile drum 40is rotatable in each casing 24. The powder'cases are pushed'into thecasing 20 and into the powder case drum by the operaton Theease is pushed against and past a of resiliently mounted :doors 51 and the projectiles are similarly pushed into the] casings 24 and into the projectile drum through a similar pair of doors The powder case drums and the projec-I f tile drums are rotated or indexed step by step and. the

round of ammunition comprisingthepowder case and projectile is brought into'alignment with the hoist tubes 1900a in the casings 1900 of the lower hoist} Chains 1903 move" in the casings 1 900 and have'pawls '1908 thereon which engage the bottom of the powder case and move the same upwardlyv in said tubes. The projectile rests on top of the powder caseand is moved up by the same.

The lower hoist moves the round comprising the powder case and a projectile into a round-receiving chamber in a carrier 300. The carrier 300 at its lower end moveswithin airing "316 having a circumferentialflange supported upon the main deck. The casings 1900 ofthe lower hoist at theirupper ends are'also within-ring316. -The carrier rotates on ball bearings 307 about a central column-302 which is secured toa frame 15a which depends from and tray. The empty cases are then-'moved' through said 'chute and are discharged at the end thereof.

In the light of the foregoing, it is an object of this invention to provide a mount for a gun comprising means for supplying ammunition to said gun including a series of cooperating mechanisms which move the round from the loading deck to the gun.

It is a further object of this invention to provide a mount for a gun, in which a shield is provided for said gun through which said gun projects, together with a novel and efiicient means for maintaining said shield at V a desired temperature.

These and other objects and advantages of the invention will be fully set forth in "the following description. made in connection with the accompanying drawings in which like reference characters refer to similar parts throughout the several views and in which:

FIG. 1 is a somewhat schematic perspective view of the mount, some parts being broken away: 1

FIG. his a schematic perspective view of the upper portion of the mount, someparts being broken away;

FIG. 1b is a vertical section taken substantially online lb-lb of FIG. 1a looking forwardly as indicated by the arrows;

FIG. '2 is a view in front elevation of the principal portions of the mount;

FIG. 3 is a schematic view partly inside elevation an partly in vertical section showing a heating mechanism for the gun shield;

is'secured to frame 15 and thus depends from the gun sup-.

port or mount proper. Carrier 300-has a spider 3007b adjacent its lower end. Said carrier has round-receiving chambers in casings 3 26 at each side thereof. 1

An upper hoist is provided and this comprises the hoist tube casings 301 which are carried by brackets 303 secured to 'a portion 302a of the central column-which isi in turn se'cured'toframe 15a. Thecasings301 are degrees apart. The upper hoist thus rotates with the central column and thuswith the mount proper on which the gun' l0 is -mounte'd-; The round of ammunition'is transferred laterally by suitablemechanism from'the' chambers in the'c'arrier 300 to 'the' tubes ofthe upper hoistin casings 301. The carrier 300is rotated so as to bring the round-receiving chambers therein into axial alignment'with the tubes of the lower hoist and is latched in such position. After receiving the round, the carrier.

is rotated to bring the chambers.thereininto'lateral or radial alignment with' the tubes in the upper hoist and is latched to the upper hoistin this position." 1 I V The upper hoist'moves the round to and'intoia cradle 902; Cradle 902 comprises'a generally cylindrical'casing open at its receiving end. .The cradle when in receive ingposition is in axial vertical alignment with a tube of the upperhoist and is latched in this position. Said cradle 902 is carried on an arm 900 which is in turn oscillatably mounted upon a journal projecting from and coaxial with the gun trunnion 12b sothat saidarrn 900 swings about the axis of the gun trunnion. Ann 900 has pivotally connected thereto an arm 904 which comprises a hydraulic cylinder 904a and piston 9041 so that it is. extensible.

the axis of the gun. The cradle is guided in this movement by an arcuate guide bar 992.

The upper position of the cradle 902 is its discharge position and it is then alongside and parallel to the trans fer tray 1100 and is latched to the slide 12. Mechanism is provided to transfer the round sidewise from the cradle 982 into the transfer tray 1100. The fuse of the projectile is set by the fuse pot 1531 while the round is in the transfer tray. The transfer tray 1100 is then swung down to be coaxial with the bore of gun and the round is then rammed by the rarnmer spade 1700 from the tray 1100 into the breech of the gun.

The gun 10 and housing 11 have the usual recoil construction and move relatively to the slide 12. Slide 12 includes large side plates 12a and a tailpiece 120. The slide is carried on the trunnions 12b. The trunnions are journaled in large side frames 13 which are secured to the base ring 14. Base ring 14 is a large weldment of general rectangular form with rounded corners. The slide and gun are elevated by a power driven pinion engaging the gear segment 16 secured to the slide.

The base ring 14 has secured thereto the gun house 19 and the latter is provided with observation blisters 19a. The gun 10 projects through the gun house 19 and is provided with an arcuate shield 1452. A large bracket 14a depends from base ring 14.

The various parts of the mount embodying novel features will be separately described.

Heating Device for Shield The present mount is provided with a shield 1452 of arcute or semi-cylindrical form which moves with the gun 10. Said shield is shown in FIGS. 1 and 3 to 6. Shield 1452 is provided With an opening 1452b through which the gun 18 and gun housing 11 project. Said shield also is provided with an opening 1452c over which is secured a casting 1552. Member 1552 has hinged thereto a door 1518 which closes the end of the discharge chute for the empty powder cases which chute projects through opening 14520. When the vessel carrying the mount is in a rough sea, at low temperatures and under spray conditions, the spray will freeze on the shield and about the door 1518 and casting 1552. This collection of ice is objectionable and the door 1518 is apt to freeze shut thus preventing the discharge of the empty powder cases. A novel means has been provided for keeping the shield 1452 and member 1552 at a temperature preventing objectionable accumulation of ice and preventing door 1518 from freezing shut.

A comparatively thin plate 1782 is provided and formed with V-shaped ribs 1782a which are pressed outwardly at one side thereof. As shown in FIG. 4, ribs 1782a have portions 1782]) which extend along and substantially parallel to the edges of plate 1782 and have other portions 1782:! which extend transversely of plate 17 82. Portions 1782d are arranged in substantially parallel relation and have one end thereof connecting with portions 1782b. Alternate portions 178211 terminate short of the portion 1782 opposite that with which they connect. When plate 1782 is disposed with ribs 1782a against shield 1452, a channel or passage 1782c is formed between said ribs, as indicated by the arrows in FIG. 6. This channel is formed by shield 1452, plate 1782 and ribs 1782a. A pipe 1784 communicates with one end of passage 1782c while a pipe 1786 communicates with the other end of passage 1782c. Plate 17 82 extends around the top of shield 1452, as shown in FIG. 3, and a similar plate 1787 extends about the lower side of said shield. Plate 1787 is formed with ribs similar to plate 1782. A passage it thus formed by the ribs in plate 1787 which are arranged similarly to the ribs 1782a in plate 1782. A conduit 1788 communicates with one end of the passage formed in plate 1787 and is connected at its other end to the intake passage of a rotary pump 1790 which is driven by a motor 1791 secured to a portion of the gun housing. The discharge end 6 of pump 1790 has connected thereto a conduit 1792, the other end of which is connected to a heating and expansion tank 1793 suitably carried on the gun housing.

Tank 1793 has disposed therein a heating element 1794 which may be of the electrical type. Tank 1793 has therein a cylinder 1796 open at one end and having a piston 1797 fitting in and movable therein. Piston 1797 is moved toward the open end of cylinder 1796 by a coiled compression spring 1798 and said piston has secured thereto a rod 1800 which is guided in one end of tank 1793. Any expansion of the liquid in tank 1793 can be taken care of by the movement of piston 1797. Said piston will be moved by the liquid in tank 1793 against the pressure of spring 1798.

The conduit 1784 is connected at its end opposite channel 17820 to tank 1793. The conduit 1786 is connected to a member 1801 which has passages communicating with passages in the end 1552d of a casting 1552 so that the liquid circulates through said passages and then to a conduit 1803 which is connected to the other end of the passage formed in plate 1787. After traversing said last mentioned passage, which is similar, as stated, to passage 17820, the liquid again passes to conduit 1788 and thence to the pump 1790.

A heated liquid is thus circulated from tank 1793, through conduit 1784 to and through passage 1782c, then through conduit 1786 to member 1801 and the passages in the member 1552 adjacent door 1518, then through the passage formed in plate 1787 and back to the pump 1790 and through conduit 1792 to the tank 1793. The heating liquid can be held at the desired temperature and the shield and member 1552 will be maintained at a temperature well above freezing. Objectionable collection of ice on the shield is thus prevented and the member 1552 is kept heated so that there is no danger of door 1518 being frozen shut.

The device has been amply tested in actual operation and found to be very successful. It has had long tests in the factory and has had a thorough test at the Navy proving grounds. The mount is now being produced in considerable numbers for the Navy.

It will of course be understood that various changes may be made in the form, details, arrangement and proportions of the parts, without departing from the scope of applicants invention, which generally stated, consists in a device capable of carrying out the objects above set forth, in the parts and combinations of parts disclosed and defined in the appended claims.

What is claimed is:

1. An automatically operated gun system having in combination, a gun tube, a gun mount for supporting said gun tube, a housing for said gun system, a chute for conveying empty shell cases to the exterior of said housing, an arcuately shaped shield which moves with said gun tube, said shield having an upper portion and a lower portion, said shield having a first and a second opening therein, said gun tube projecting through said first opening, said second opening having said chute operably attached thereto for the passage of shells therethrough, said second opening having a closure means operable to open and close said opening, internal passages in said closure means, a relatively thin member having pressed vhaped indentations therein, said thin member being rigidly secured to the inner side of said shield in a fluid tight manner, said indentations spacing said thin member from said shield in a manner whereby a plurality of interconnecting internal passages are formed between said thin member and said shield, and a closed fluid circulating system operable to circulate a heated fluid through said internal passages whereby said shield and said closure means are heated and any ice which has formed thereon is removed.

2. The system set forth in claim 1 wherein said closed 3. The device set forth in claim 2 wherein said heating and expansion means includes a cylinder having' a spring biased piston mounted therein whereby the movement of said piston against said spring permits expansion or contraction of said fluid.

References Citedin the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS Waller Jan. 20', 1948 Stacey Dec. 13, 1949 Paselk et a1. Nov. 8,1955 Molins et al. Jan. 29, 1957 'ChadWick et a1. Feb; 18, 1958 FOREIGN PATENTS Germany' Dec. '7, 1918 

1. AN AUTOMATICALLY OPERATED GUN SYSTEM HAVING IN COMBINATION, A GUN TUBE, A GUN MOUNT FOR SUPPORTING SAID GUN TUBE, A HOUSING FOR SAID GUN SYSTEM, A CHUTE FOR CONVEYING EMPTY SHELL CASES TO THE EXTERIOR OF SAID HOUSING, AN ARCUATELY SHAPED SHIELD WHICH MOVES WITH SAID GUN TUBE, SAID SHIELD HAVING AN UPPER PORTION AND A LOWER PORTION, SAID SHIELD HAVING A FIRST AND A SECOND OPENING THEREIN, SAID GUN TUBE PROJECTING THROUGH SAID FIRST OPENING, SAID SECOND OPENING HAVING SAID CHUTE OPERABLY ATTACHED THERETO FOR THE PASSAGE OF SHELLS THERETHROUGH, SAID SECOND OPENING HAVING A CLOSURE MEANS OPERABLE TO OPEN AND CLOSE SAID OPENING, INTERNAL PASSAGES IN SAID CLOSURE MEANS, A RELATIVELY THIN MEMBER HAVING PRESSED V-SHAPED INDENTATIONS THEREIN, SAID THIN MEMBER BEING RIGIDLY SECURED TO THE INNER SIDE OF SAID SHIELD IN A FLUID TIGHT MANNER, SAID INDENTATIONS SPACING SAID THIN MEMBER FROM SAID SHIELD IN A MANNER WHEREBY A PLURALITY OF INTERCONNECTING INTERNAL PASSAGES ARE FORMED BETWEEN SAID THIN MEMBER AND SAID SHIELD, AND A CLOSED FLUID CIRCULATING SYSTEM OPERABLE TO CIRCULATE A HEATED FLUID THROUGH SAID INTERNAL PASSAGES WHEREBY SAID SHIELD AND SAID CLOSURE MEANS ARE HEATED AND ANY ICE WHICH HAS FORMED THEREON IS REMOVED. 